Music for ever

ESNS is working on generating a future proof festival which can be sustained for the years to come. ESNS’s sustainability programme focuses on six divisions; energy, food, transport, waste, water and fair trade. Within each division detailed work programmes are developed.

EnergyESNS invests time in researching sustainable energy sources. The festival is a partner in the Powervibes project. The Powervibes project is initiated by Interreg and executed by TU Eindhoven. The project researches the possibility to construct a modular, easy to construct, wind and sun turbine that can be implemented on festivals across the globe. ESNS is one of the testing grounds for the turbine and actively participates in its conceptualization. ESNS ultimate goal is to derive all energy necessary to run the festival from other sources than electric or gasoline power units.

FoodAll food consumed during ESNS will be sourced locally and needs to meet our sustainability standards. This includes not only ESNS’s onsite catering, but also its office lunches. In addition the consumption of meat will be reduced.

TransportESNS is researching how to reduce the impact of travel to and from the festival. We aim to encourage each consumer to travel sustainably and we’re in talks with the national railroad services NS, bus service Arriva and the bicycle company Swapfiets to see if we can reduce the travel footprint.

WasteESNS is investing in both reusable products as well as waste separation models. Single use plastic cups have largely been replaced with hard cups and our conference delegates bags are made from eco-friendly material. The former is an ongoing process and we continue to encourage our traders, sponsors, caterers, venues and the municipality to limit the use of single use plastic cups as much as possibility. This is all part of our pledge to Plastic Promise.

WaterThe use of water on onsite locations and in backstage areas is currently being researched. We are in the process of determining the possibilities for change and improvement when it comes to water use and consumption.

Fair TradeESNS is a partner in two fair trade initiatives; Take a Stand and Innofest. Take a Stand is a European initiative which aims to create a movement encouraging social cohesion in society, promoting awareness and tolerance for all cultures, genders, races, religions, sexual orientations, colours and origins. It intends to motivate people to participate in politics and social activities, to speak up for peaceful dialogue, humanism, tolerance and mutual understanding, to make the world a better place for every single individual and for all of us. As such, Take a Stand is also part of our social responsibility initiatives.

Additionally, ESNS is one of the originating partners and ambassadors of Innofest. By partnering with Innofest we continue our mission to be a platform for innovation. Innofest invites companies based in the Northern Netherlands to create and test products on festival sites in the region. These festivals are microcosms of reality and true living labs to test innovation. Eventually tested and true products can be presented and sold on EPIC (European Production Innovation Conference).